I've never seen the point in getting to number one on a leaderboard with a cheated score - especially when the score is so ridiculous it is obviously fake. Really? You beat the level in 0 seconds?

Because of these attention seeking hackers the entire Sonic 4 leaderboards will reset (and I will have to once again get my Splash Hill Act 2 score charted, argh!). Though, you might want to wait a while to get your time back up, as apparently there is no permanent fix to stop the hackers from doing it again, which they surely will.

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Sega seems to be quite happy with Sonic Colors, and plans to celebrate in New York City this evening, from 6pm to 10pm in Bryant Park with an ice skating party and free hedgehog hats. If you are among the first 300 people to arrive at Sonic Colors launch part at Citi Pond in Bryant Park then you will be able to keep your head warm in Sonic style with a free Sonic the Hedgehog hat.

Furthermore, the same 300 attendees will get to skate for free, and as a bonus to make things seem extremely cheesy, will get to skate to the Sonic Colors theme song - “Reach For The Stars”, awesome!

The long winded wait for the blue blur’s glorious return to form has been a grueling tale of teasers followed by long periods of nothingness. Finally, a light can be seen at the end of the tunnel, and for some that light is closer than it is for others.

Sonic the Hedgehog 4: Episode 1 will be available first in the iTunes App Store beginning on October 7th. The next iteration will be available for download on the Wii Shop Channel October 11th, followed by the Playstation Network and Xbox Live Arcade versions hitting October 12th and 13th respectively.

Sonic the Hedgehog 4: Episode 1 will be the first of an unspecified number of episodes. Game play is similar to the original Sega Genesis titles, namely the original Sonic the Hedgehog, with a few new twists and graphical enhancements thrown in for the modern age.

September 9th marks the anniversaries of two systems that found their place nestled in the bosoms of video game culture in their own different ways. The PlayStation solidified itself as the first console to reach 100 million units sold (the PS2 has since surpassed this), while the Dreamcast remains a cult favorite among gamers. Both consoles helped to revolutionize the way that video games are played today, and we owe them a bit of gratitude on their American birthdays.

The last 3D Sonic game, entitled Sonic Unleashed was a fairly experimental romp in the blue hedgehog’s universe. While the Sonic levels moved at blistering speeds with perspective transitioning from full 3D to side scrolling, the were-hog sections screeched the pace of the game to an alarming halt. Levels could take as long as 20 minutes when using the were-hog, and its slow pace just didn’t seem fitting for a Sonic game. However, between releasing a new 2D Sonic this fall, and now ‘Colors’, it seems SEGA is finally listening to its loyal fans.

With Sonic Colors, SEGA chooses to ditch the bogged down were-hog levels, while beefing up the Sonic-only single player run through. The lightning fast speed and switch to 2D perspectives are back again in this new chapter, as are a few new moves for our spiky haired protagonist to dispose enemies with. These new abilities are acquired by freeing ‘Wisps’. Wisps are creatures that look similar to the Chaos from the Adventure series. Different color Wisps lend various abilities to Sonic. For instance, the yellow Wisps provide Sonic with an all new drill ability that allows Sonic to tunnel through sand finding hidden items and new areas to explore. Another cool ability shown in the new trailer is the cyan laser skill, obtained from the cyan Wisp, of course. This allows Sonic to move at an uncontrollable laser speed, wreaking havoc on Eggman’s robotic creations.

The new trailer depicts these new abilities, and shows Sonic in rare form for a 3D adventure. Let’s hope that the blue blur is back, and won’t fall prey to annoying gimmicks or crappy level design. Look for Sonic Colors to hit stores November 12, 2010. Oh, lets try to do something about that theme song, SEGA! Catch the trailer after the break.

Welcome to a new quickie feature for Playfeed, in which I attempt to distill a game review into a bite-size chunk for you to feed on demurely. At E3, I was singing nothing but praises about Bayonetta, and that was primarily from a one-level demo. Demos, of course, are either used to

Sell a product by giving you the best of the best so you salivate like Pavlov’s dogs when you pass the retail copy over

Give you the only part of a game that is not festering, abject crap.

So now the retail copy has launched, and I am left to tell you what to expect, because I am forever carrying the cross of the game reviewer. Hit the jump for Bayonetta in 3 paragraphs.

NOTE: This is the Xbox 360 version of the game. The PS3 has been known to have some nasty framerate issues.

Sega just launched a teaser page, called “Jackpot,” and they aren’t really telling what it’s all about. The page features a simple Flash unit that has a clickable handle and a tumbler full of lottery-type numbered balls. You click the handle, and out come six balls numbered 0-4-2-0-4-5. I tried again a few minutes later, and got 0-4-2-0-4-0, and then 0-4-2-0-3-9. Some sort of countdown timer? If so, it ends on Tuesday at about 10:00 AM EDT. Comic-Con anyone? Give us your best guess as to what Sega Jackpot is all about.

This has to be the ultimate gift for anyone who couldn’t get over their first game system. The GEN-X plays both old Nintendo and Sega Genesis games, including Japanese imports, in stereo (depending on the game.) Included controllers work with either system after you have connected it to your TV. At a size of 17 x 15 x 4cm, the GEN-X Game System will set you back $39.99. By the way, the site cautions you about cleaning the contacts on old games and we know for a fact that if you use a gentle metal brush with a gentle hand, it will make Sonic and Mario positively gleeful.

Never got over Sonic the Hedgehog? Blaze has announced that it is releasing a new version of Sega’s classic console. The Mega Drive is plug and play, has 15 games built-in, but should also play all old cartridges. Titles include Alien Storm, Crack Down, Fatal Labyrinth, Golden Axe and Sonic And Knuckles. You can pre-order the Mega Drive for only £37.99 (~$53.00) with free shipping and expect a delivery date of April 24.

This week on XBox Live Arcade comes the anticipated and graphically enhanced arcade cult classic Super Street Fighter Puzzle HD Remix. In addition to upping the graphical fidelity on the game, Capcom has also rebalanced the game with the new X’ mode, although the original version will also be available. The game will cost 800 Microsoft Points.

On Wii‘s Virtual Console this week seems to be sequel week, with the Contra sequel Super C (previously available on XBox Live Arcade) for 500 Wii Points, the SNES role-playing classic Breath of Fire II for 800 Wii Points and the Sega Genesis version of Ghouls n’ Ghosts, the follow-up to Ghosts n’ Goblins for another 800 Wii Points.